10 Extraction of Materials

10 Extraction of Materials

10.1  Collection of flints, curios and other inert hard materials (commercial and non-commercial)

(note sand removal is considered under Redistribution and Re-profiling)

Subject: collection of flints, curios and other materials /
Thanet / Dover / Canterbury /
1. What is the long-term goal?
20/20 vision / Main objective / Enough material to be left in the system to be sustainable.
Is this compatible with the SPA and SAC objectives? / This vision is partially compatible with the SPA and SAC objectives, however, at times removal of any type can impact on SAC features in particular and shouldn’t occur.
2. What is the current situation? (Background Information - Facts and Figures)
Description Location / ·  Small scale collection of flints or other curios takes place from Minnis to Pegwell Bay – it is used for gardens or building material. There is no evidence of commercial flint collection
·  Shingle is sometimes taken from Minnis Bay - for gardens or building material.
·  Sand -small scale removal
·  There is a small trade in fossils and shells / One person collects coal off the beach near the Hoverport within the Sandwich Bay and Pegwell Bay NNR. / A small amounts of coastal defence material Off Hampton Lane Swalecliffe
Numbers involved and frequency of activity / ·  Not known but small numbers on an occasional basis
Time of year / ·  All year but more in the Winter when there are fewer people about / Spring
Other information / ·  Request for permission to collect on a small scale sometimes comes through to TDC Foreshore.
Changes over last 6 years / ·  About the same
Likely trends over next 6 years / ·  Expect the same
3. What are the current effects of this activity? / · 
Social, Economic and cultural / ·  Collected items are used in gardens and for building materials.
Environment / ·  The effect of this activity is not known or how it relates to coastal processes but it is thought to be unlikely to have a significant effect at this scale.
SPA
SAC features / Reef / ·  Potential disturbance to chalk reef
Cave / ·  No known effect
Wintering Turnstone and Golden Plover / ·  No known effect
Little Tern / ·  Potential to disturb ground nesting shore birds. Little tern, however, have not bred successfully within the North East Kent European Marine Sites since the late 1990’s.
SSSI features / ·  Disruption to shingle vegetation
Other key habitats and species and those of local value / ·  No known effect
The functioning of the local Ecosystem / ·  No known effect
The functioning of adjacent ecosystems / ·  No known effect
Other / ·  No known effect
4. What is the current management?
Organisations responsible for management / ·  Thanet District Council (as landowner/manager)
·  TCP – TCWS volunteers in voluntary capacity / ·  Canterbury City Council
·  Police are involved on certain occasions to help control
Key Documents / ·  NE Kent EMS MS
·  TCWS
Existing Management / ·  Requests for permission to collect on a small scale sometimes comes through to TDC Foreshore, who authorise approval if it is a small scale
·  TCP ask TCWS volunteers to record any collection on activities record sheets or incident reporting,
5. Will this management get us to where we want to go – if not why not?
Will current management deliver the long term vision for this activity and enable the ecosystem can support this activity over the long term? / ·  Too little is known about the scale and effect of this activity to answer the question.
Gaps in management / ·  If it is shown to have a significant effect use the SSSI mechanism to stop people taking materials from the site / No management measures considered necessary
Gaps in management in relation to the SPA and SAC features / ·  Don’t know the scale and effect of this activity. / None
6. What, if anything, do we want to do?
Management measures, policies, actions, New ideas or solutions and who will action / What / Who / . / What / Who
·  Keep a record of the number of requests / TDC / Alert any coal or curio collectors within the NNR to the risk of disturbing wintering or ground nesting birds. / NNR
·  Analyse the date collected by TCP to confirm this is at low levels / TCP
·  Ask TCP wardens to collate hard data of the scale of collection to set a baseline and monitor trends. Then decisions can be made on evidence not hearsay. / TCP
Management Measures for SPA and SAC features / ·  Ask TCP wardens to collate hard data of the scale of collection to set a baseline and monitor trends. Then decisions can be made on evidence not hearsay. / TCP
Likely resource requirement / ·  Minimal

10.2  Fossil extraction*

Subject: Fossil extraction /
Thanet / Dover / Canterbury /
1. What is the long-term goal?
20/20 vision / Main objective / ·  Fossil extraction, when necessary for curation (for example, in the intertidal zone), is undertaken through responsible collection.
·  Removal of fossils from fallen debris is accepted at low levels.
·  Large fossils are only removed with full agreement of relevant organisations and with proper recording and curation. Additionally, small specimens are recognised as just as scientifically important as large ones.
·  Work towards including of this aspect of the UK’s heritage in education and encourage today’s youth to become involved with this aspect of science.
·  Encourage appropriate documentation and recording of recorded fossils, which is available to all interested parties.
Is this compatible with the SPA and SAC objectives? / Yes
2. What is the current situation? (Background Information - Facts and Figures)
Description / ·  Removal of fossils from cliffs or from the intertidal reef and loose tidal debris.
·  Fossil collecting may include specimens of scientific value that would be saved from damage or destruction by the sea. Collecting offers an opportunity for people to learn about the past and to contribute to our understanding. However, fossil collecting has to be both done responsibly and safely.
Location / ·  Chalk & flint fossils - Minnis to Pegwell Bay
·  Within sands (shark teeth/shells) – Reculver & Pegwell / ·  Reculver to Herne Bay: shark teeth/shells from sand –
·  Whitstable-Swalecliffe-HerneBay Neolithic & other finds (animals) within Intertidal zone
·  Between Beltinge to Reculver there is evidence of people digging up fossil beds. This is often led by bait diggers.
Numbers involved, frequency and time / ·  Numbers who do this are not known, but it seems to be a frequent activity that takes place at any time of year
Other information / ·  Gem shop in Broadstairs use to sell Ammonites
·  Roc Doc walks occur around the coastline – educating the public about fossils and geology in the area.
Changes over last 6 years / ·  About the same
Likely trends over next 6 years / ·  About the same
3. What are the current positive effects of this activity?
Social, economic and cultural / ·  Education and research at all levels – children science, universities and adults. This can lead to spin off interest into the area in general.
·  Health and Safety aspects of the activity and risk of rock fall given the instability of the cliffs.
Environment General / ·  Attention to geological importance, geological history and knowledge of climate change through the long time record
SPA
SAC features / Reef / ·  Potential for damage to the reef but most fossils will be in the cliff face or fallen debris not the reef
·  Occasional damage to the reef when fossils need to be removed, however, this damage is usually negligible
·  Possible trampling impacts from people looking for fossils on the reef
Cave / ·  Potential for damage to the caves
Wintering Turnstone and Golden Plover / ·  Potential for disturbance to wintering birds depending on location and time of the activity
Little Tern / ·  Unlikely to effect ground nesting birds on shingle as this location is away from the main areas where fossils are found. Little tern, however, have not bred successfully within the North East Kent European Marine Sites since the late 1990’s.
SSSI features / ·  Potential damage to cliffs by irresponsible collection such as hammering and if large machinery is required it is even worse
·  Non removal of significant and unrecorded fossils is a loss of geological features and information
Other key habitats and species and those of local value / ·  Can disturb nesting birds
The functioning of the local Ecosystem / ·  The scale of this activity is unlikely to have a significant effect
The functioning of adjacent ecosystems / ·  The scale of this activity is unlikely to have a significant effect
4. What is the current management?
Organisations responsible for management / ·  Landowner permission required: - Mainly TDC in Thanet
·  NE as government’s statutory advisor on Earth Science for SSSI & SMS.
·  Kent RIGS
·  TCP promotes good practice within general voluntary codes / ·  Landowner permission required:
·  NE as government’s statutory advisor on Earth Science for SSSI & SMS.
·  Kent RIGS
·  TCP to help with promotion within general voluntary codes / ·  Landowner permission required:
·  NE as government’s statutory advisor on Earth Science for SSSI & SMS.
·  Kent RIGS
·  TCP to help with promotion within general voluntary codes
Key Documents / ·  Research Code (geology section) (NE Kent Coastal Scientific Advisory Group)
·  Thanet Coastal Codes
·  Natural England position statement (www.english-nature.org.uk/news/statement.asp?ID=13) / ·  As Thanet / ·  As Thanet
Existing Management / ·  Thanet Coastal Codes” – general and field code (do not include specific mention of fossils)
·  Colleting by groups and schools is generally well co-ordinated / ·  As Thanet / ·  As Thanet
5. Will this management get us to where we want to go – if not why not?
Gaps in Management / ·  To prevent inadvertent damage and to raise understanding this activity requires more focused action (see suggestions below)
Management Suggestions / ·  Improve communication between all those with an interest – this is absolutely essential as 26 miles of fossiliferous coastline is impossible to warden / police and the main (and responsible) fossil collectors must be ‘on board’ the decision making platform, otherwise it will amount to nothing.
·  Need to gather more information about where and when it is taking place
·  Improve liaison between collectors and statutory authorities particularly when ‘rescue geology’ has to take place in the intertidal area.
·  Promote responsible and safe collecting
·  Restrict excessive digging or 'prospecting', however, this is currently not an issue within the marine sites.
·  Clarify ownership of the fossils
·  Encourage recording/curating of large fossils ‘in-situ
·  Promote the acquisition of key scientifically important fossils by recognised museum collections
·  Records of fossil finds should be sent to the Kent-Medway Biological Records Centre
·  Specifically include the word fossils in Thanet Coastal Code
·  Need a record centre for specimens and some transferred to the museum because more information is needed on the site
·  Clubs that do large fossil collecting should be informed and worked with to minimise their impact and asked to share their finds with interested parties.
·  Consult with Kent RIGS.
·  Encourage people to buy postcards, books or posters or take photos of fossils
·  Ask ‘Rock Doc’ walks – to not only inform people about history of the local geology, and fossils but to encourage responsible collecting.
·  Establish liaison with clubs who visit particular parts of the coast for fossil collecting.
·  Develop clearer understanding of the protection of the Geological Interest via the SSSI designation
·  Many poorly preserved ammonites (Parapusozia leptophylla) occur around Thanet, best exposed after storms: these are unrecoverable but should be studied and data recorded.
·  Ammonite in cliff face at Kingsgate has a fault running through it and is unrecoverable without destabilising the entire cliff section. It should therefore be left in the cliff.
·  Children should be encouraged from a very young age to appreciate fossils.
Will current management mean the ecosystem can support this activity over the long term? / ·  Sea level rise means that more of the shore will be under water and there will be pressure for more sea defences
Gaps in management in relation to the SPA and SAC features / None identified
6. What, if anything, do we want to do?
Management measures, policies, actions, New ideas or solutions and who will action / What / Who
Collate hard data of the scale of collection to set a baseline and monitor trends so management can be made on evidence not hearsay. / TCP
Form a working group with representations from KNEKSCAG, Rock Doc, RIGS,KWT and members of relevant clubs to prioritise the suggested action and develop an action plan focussing on collection at Beltinge as a priority. / TCP with NE to lead on convening